Safe Haven. (JJP FF)

xxiv: a foe becomes a friend

There's no opinion left for Jinyoung as he gets discharged two days later, his aunt had packed his belongings into a small sized deep blue color luggage.

It's 8:30 am in the morning; he's supposed to leave at 9 am. He's in his bedroom, spending away all the time looking at the ceiling. Somehow, even though the ceiling is off white, like a black hole, it sucks out all feelings out of Jinyoung.

Jaebum had been visiting Jinyoung for those two days, as the planning for dates he had done for the weekend, had instead turned into bittersweet times in the hospital.

They talked about Jaebum's parents, Yoon, school and being gay. The boys let them be thinking that they needed their own time. Mark and Youngjae had to go back as their finals would be starting in a month.

Jackson missed Mark terribly. And BamBam missed the company of Youngjae. No homo though.

Today marked the end of the weekend, and the beginning of a new weekday, Jinyoung reckons Jaebum to be at school; he wished they were here to cheer him up. But he can't wish for too much, he's already let them down; the least he actually can do is to go to the mental center and take therapy sessions.

But he knows he's been better with Jaebum. As for his aunt, she had postponed the wedding to a month, wanting Jinyoung to be mentally happy and kicking.

Jinyoung was very guilt ridden at the fact, but he feels at ease knowing that he'd be away from Nam for a while; then he remembers he's gonna be away from the duo and his boyfriend too. She had even got rid of all the medication and blades and everything she imagined that could possibly be lethal and hurt him.

Everything except Nam.

"Pepi! Let's get going!" His aunt calls.

But it's only 8:37 am.

As he leaves, he takes a last look at the dull bedroom and heads off with the luggage, reaching for the doorstep.

And he's met by the best thing in the world.

Jaebum. He had come especially just to meet Jinyoung, and he couldn't be any more glad.

This time, Jinyoung rushes into a hug with Jaebum, making Jaebum almost drop the present in his hand, but Jaebum returns the hug with warmth, he's wearing grandpa pants and jacket with frizzy hair, but still managed to look dashing.

"Don't you have... School?" Jinyoung asks, uncoiling himself from the hug.

"Yeah... It's recess time so I came to see you... It's fine if a period is skipped." He smiles looking even more grandfather-like.

Jinyoung knows it's too late to stop Jaebum from coming to his house and so he just falls back to the embracing arms once again.

"I.... I will miss you Jaebum..." Jinyoung whispers in Jaebum's shoulder, breathing in the scent one more time.

"Me too. But it's for you. And.. These are for you too." Jaebum says, handing Jinyoung his iPod that he got with the help of his aunt, it contains the song that he composed.

He got a puppy plushie from Jackson, Wang gae Park gae being written on the collar. And his English paper, with a drawing of BamBam dabbing (drawn by BamBam himself) at the back with happy messages.

Jinyoung was at the verge of fighting his tears.

"I'll get going... Take care Jinyoung. We love you." Jaebum says, hugging Jinyoung and kissing him on the forehead, then softly letting his lips meet Jinyoung's. He takes one more look at Jinyoung, never wanting to let go. Neither does Jinyoung break his gaze at Jaebum, never in his life had he thought he'd get a wonderful boyfriend.

His aunt tells him it's time to go and gives another box of kimchi and jjajangmyun.

And they separate.

.

"Hey JB!" A voice yells.

Jaebum looks back from his locker and is met with someone else he doesn't know, but has seen. Why is his memory like this?

The unknown boy huffed for a few seconds and then got back to his original posture.

"Can we talk in private?" The boy desperately asks.

Jaebum is confused at first, but feels it's something very important. He doesn't let down his guard although.

"Yeah sure. But can I know your name?"

"Kim Seok."

They head to the exit of the school, where a miniature garden lived and sat on the stairs.

Seok's hands get clammy and like a weird fungus, they spread throughout his body.

Jaebum waits for Seok to be ready, he seemed to be trembling too much.

"H-How's Jinyoung?" He asks with a shaky voice.

Jaebum's eyes protrude out of his face.

"How do you know?" He whispers urgently, signalling that he doesn't want this to spread.

"M-My.... Father was possibly the one that treated Jinyoung.... And he said something about a s-suicide." Seok looked away.

"Ah, Please thank your father from me, he's helped us so much." Jaebum replies, actually sent wanting to thank Mr. Kim in person.

Seok brings himself to look at Jaebum, and very delicately enunciated his words.

"I-I..." He sighs in an exhausted manner.

"Go on..." Jaebum waits.

"Woon was the one that hit Jinyoung." Seok says, once again not being able to look at Jaebum.

Jaebum is not so shocked but he still questions about how Seok came to know this much.

"JB, you need to help Jinyoung from Woon. Woon bullies J-Jinyoung." He finally says.

"What?!" Jaebum's bones are strengthening by the moment, knowing about Woon and much more.

"Please d-don't get mad... But I'm i-included too in his gang..." Seok irritably hides his face in his hands. He feels like he's been too much of a sidekick, Woon will hate him for who he is once he found out, and even if he reciprocated Seok's feelings, he's still going to be an asshole.

"But I don't want to be anymore... Jinyoung doesn't deserved to be bullied this much for the same reason as me." He lets out.

Jaebum slowly tries to piece everything Seok had said together and conjectures that Seok could possibly be gay. But he doesn't take risks, he tries to keep composed since he found out Seok was in the problem too, but he's willing to stay shut if Seok wanted to change.

"I-I am undeservedly so very sorry..." He tries, and tucks away the beads of tears on the sides of his eyes.

"You should be. But I'm thankful you told me this. And that you want to change." He lets out a weary smile.

Seok feels even more stupid, and guilty feeling like he doesn't deserve what has been given to him. But he's glad he's changing.

"You've really got yourself a good boyfriend." He sniffs.

"How'd you get to know that?" Jaebum questions, really not wanting the whole school to secretly know.

"Y-You guys seem like it... You're not fazed by the girls either." He adds.

Wow. Was his gay showing that much? Or was the gaydar radiating from one to another?

But Jaebum feels better, letting someone else into his secret, but he asks a question back to Seok.

"So... You like Woon...?"

"Used to. I used to. But he's an asshole." Seok replies, not wanting to think about that dipshit.

They share a moment of a smile while Jaebum gets up.

"Let's get going, Seok." Jaebum says.

Seok just giggles a bit.

"Seokjin. Call me Seokjin."